The Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu has directed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to revamp its curriculum and intensify cadet training calling for a programme built around discipline, strategic thinking, cutting‑edge technology, and readiness for modern conflict environments.
During a courtesy visit by the NDA Commandant, Oluyemi Olatoye, to Army headquarters in Abuja, Shaibu emphasised the need for “battle‑ready” training models. He said the curriculum must reflect contemporary security demands, advocating inclusion of night-operations training, physical fitness, artificial intelligence, and other emerging warfare domains.
Shaibu also called for the strengthening of the NDA’s research institutions especially the Department of Military Science pointing to their critical role in driving the country’s defense industry, fostering indigenous innovation, and achieving greater self‑reliance in military technology.
The reforms are part of a broader vision to transform the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptive, and resilient force capable of handling complex, multi‑dimensional security threats in a joint and multi‑agency operational environment.
The NDA Commandant pledged to build on the institution’s legacy, promising to implement the new directives and ensure that cadets are groomed as officers capable of meeting Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The move has been met with cautious optimism by security analysts, many of whom argue that meaningful reforms in training, doctrine and technology are essential if the military is to regain public confidence and effectively respond to Nigeria’s complex insecurity landscape.
